In my work as a copywriter for small businesses I review a lot of websites. So often the website looks brilliant – clear images and fancy graphics that really capture the eye. But then as I delve deeper into what's actually written there I'm left feeling slightly underwhelmed.

After all, when you strip back all the pretty images and great graphics all that you're left with is words. And if those words don't communicate clearly what your business does and what you're about, then it's likely that your visitor is going to leave your site pretty quickly.

Of course, it's such a shame to put so much effort into getting your business website to look good, without getting the results. So that's why I wanted to give you my top tips on writing an engaging website so that your customers stick around.

Write With Personality

I know in business it's tempting to think "oh I have to write formally or no one will take me seriously" but I'm telling you that in small business personality rules. After all, you want your website to give a great first impression of what it's like to work with you or buy your products. So you need to make it sound like you.

Of course you don't want to write so informally that you're unclear (so no LOL-speak, k?). But injecting a more casual tone in your writing will make your visitors feel like you're actually talking to them one-on-one.

Write With Your Ideal Customer in Mind

The first part of my process when working on a copywriting project is to get my client to describe their ideal customer to me. And I get it – this is hard. After all, you don't just want one customer, you want lots.

But by focusing on your one, perfect customer you'll find that writing becomes that much easier. So before you start writing (or rewriting your website) get super specific on exactly who it is that you want to attract. Then write as if you were speaking only to them.

Write For People First, Machines SecondThe term SEO has been tossed around so much that sometimes I feel like it's lost all meaning. Yes it's important to be aware of what keywords you're targeting and how often you use them in your writing.

But beware that, in an effort to get as many keywords on your site, you don't make it unreadable to actual real humans. Keywords, tags and the rest are important for getting your website found by people. But if, when they get there, your website reads like it was written by robots then they're not going to want to stick around long enough to buy your products or services.

Nell Casey is a Melbourne small business copywriter, who's passionate about helping businesses grow their online presence to get more in-real-life customers and fans. When she's not writing, you'll find her trying not to buy all the things at local craft markets around Melbourne, or trying to uncover the best banh mi in town. You can totally follow her on Twitter or connect with other female small business owners on Facebook.